Jeep once stood for the rustic Wrangler and the noble Grand Cherokee, which as a luxury off-road vehicle was the early blueprint for an Audi Q8, BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE. But off-road charm alone can no longer attract enough customers into the forest. Unthinkable years ago – today due to the market: the electric Jeep Avenger is currently only available with front-wheel drive and is no longer at home off-road. Traditional Jeep fans don’t just stand up on the high seat or on the Rubicon Trail. But it goes on. Jeep wants to become premium and of course appeal to new customers with lifestyle charm. Electromobility comes at just the right time because, apart from some risks for the US brand, it offers opportunities – especially in Europe.
The best example is the Jeep Wagoneer, which premiered in North America last year as the flagship model of the car manufacturer from Auburn Hills. The at least 5.45 meter long luxury model, which is also available with an extended wheelbase if desired, is not only positioned against the successful Cadillac Escalade, but is also intended to be a real alternative to the luxury models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Land Rover. Introduced in 1962, the Wagoneer was the first four-wheel drive vehicle with an automatic transmission, pioneering today’s SUV. Two decades later in 1984, the Grand Wagoneer marked the start of the era of luxury off-road vehicles in the USA by offering its customers exclusive equipment with electric leather seats, air conditioning and a sound system that made long journeys more relaxing than ever. The Wagoneer will also come to Europe next year and an electric version will soon follow.
The new electric model will be available in the USA from autumn under the name Jeep Wagoneer S in the USA and then also in other markets. The electric version not only offers 441 kW / 600 hp, sporty performance and off-road all-wheel drive, but also an adapted design with a modified front and illuminated radiator grille. The combustion engine version – available with a normal and long wheelbase – is the top model from the Stellantis Jeep brand. This means that the Wagoneer and the upcoming electric version of the Wagoneer S are positioned above the former flagship Grand Cherokee. Some still remember the Commander, which was intended to open up new sales groups in upper segments a decade ago. But the Commander flopped and in the context of increasingly important luxury off-road vehicles, the Grand Cherokee was no longer sufficient even when it was added to the portfolio with an extended wheelbase two years ago. Woodies gave. The Wagoneer is currently only available in North America, but from 2025 it is also planned for Europe in order to annoy the German premium competition.
The Wagoneer is luxurious in all its versions and the drive doesn’t hold back either. When it comes to positioning on the home market, the Stellantis brand is unusually self-confident. With a starting price of around $63,000, a Wagoneer is currently almost twice as expensive as a Grand Cherokee, which starts at $35,000. The same applies to the long-wheelbase version, as the Wagoneer L starts at just under $93,000, while the Grand Wagoneer sells for under $43,000. Unlike a few decades ago, the flagship in the drive portfolio is a three-liter in-line six-cylinder engine with double turbocharging that produces 308 kW / 420 hp and 636 Nm of maximum torque. The once so image-rich 5.7-liter V8 is only offered in discontinued models, but in terms of performance it is behind the newly developed six-cylinder in-line engine with 288 kW / 392 hp. The Grand Wagoneer ranks above this with its 480 hp 6.4-liter V8 engine. The standard six-cylinder is as smooth as it is powerful, allowing it to confidently drive the all-wheel drive vehicle, which weighs more than 2.6 tons. Apart from the sonorous, babbling sound, no one misses an eight-cylinder engine. And the new top model from autumn will be the electric version of the Wagoneer S.
The luxury in the interior of the 5.45 meter long American is impressive – especially for a US model without a Cadillac label. The screen length extends over one meter across the width of the dashboard of the combustion engine models: the animated driver information display behind the steering wheel alone measures 31 centimeters, and the touchscreen in the center console, which acts as the main monitor, is just as large – combined with a horizontally mounted 26 centimeter touchscreen underneath. In addition, an equally large touchscreen supplies the front passenger. The passengers in the second row still have a massive 76 centimeter display at their disposal – including a 26 centimeter monitor in the center console between the very comfortable individual seats, which, however, can only be operated manually in the rear. Each passenger in the second row of seats also has their own 26 centimeter infotainment touchscreen. There are also air-conditioned and electrically adjustable comfort chairs at the front made of leather, sustainable materials inside and workmanship that is extremely worth seeing.
